The Ridgemont-bred Rafeef filly Easy Tiger produced one of the most impressive juvenile debut performances of recent months when she ran out an easy winner accounting for more experienced males in the Turffontein opener on Saturday.
Clawing his way back to peak fitness after his recent injury enforced lay-off, Muzi Yeni had Easy Tiger well back early on in the Maiden 1000m.
Muzi Yeni and Easy Tiger cruise in on an eyecatching debut (Pic -JC Photos)
But past halfway, the top jockey started working on the daughter of Rafeef, who was switched twice before making up lengths and cutting through her opposition to beat the 5-2 twice placed favourite Zacatoo going away under a hands ride by 2,25 lengths in a time of 59,31 secs.
Veteran trainer Mike de Kock had predicted beforehand that Easy Tiger was a ‘naughty filly and that she’d be green’. That was underscored when she was at the back of the field after the start and initially seemed a bit awkward in running.
Halfway through the race, Easy Tiger was going to run closer to last than first, but she took off, sliced through the field and the result was never in doubt.
Yeni said: “She’s a small filly but with a beautiful action. She was relaxing at the back, but we were on the speed and she got closer and closer. She put the race to bed confidently, I think she will go over 1400m to 1600m.”
Team De Kock saddled the winner for a partnership of Craig Kieswetter of Ridgemont and Hollywoodbets’ Devin Heffer.
Mike de Kock said that he and son Mathew were privileged to visit the pre-training facility at Ridgemont earlier this week.
“It is a wonderful facility. The horses that came from them were forward and ready. Well done to Julia Kieswetter who runs it. They have got plans which we are pleased to be a part of for the future.”
He said about Easy Tiger: “She’s a nice type of filly. I wanted to see her finishing it off and she did it well. I hope her win is a start of things to come. Mathew and I have some nice horses coming through in our new partnership, which has begun but starts officially on 1 March.”
Despite the jockey’s encouraging observations that she should go a mile, Easy Tiger is bred to fly, being a daughter of champion Redoute’s Choice’ outstanding Ridgemont-based Grade 1 star Rafeef, out of the four-time winning Where’s That Tiger mare, Tiger’s Touch.
She is a half to the speedy Dynasty four-time winning mare, Great Cat.
